IoT Top Trends and How Support Impacts Brand Loyalty and the Bottom Line

Parks Associates and Support.com to Present Webcast on Top Five Trends for Support and How to Turn IoT Consumers Into Brand Advocates

DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Jun 13, 2016) - New Parks Associates research finds over 75% of smart home device owners have more than one device, which will create new challenges in setup and interoperability in the connected home. Parks Associates will discuss strategies to support the connected consumer in the complimentary webcast "The Future of Tech Support: IoT & The Consumer Experience," co-hosted by Support.com, on Tuesday, June 14, at 1:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. CT).

The webcast, featuring Emily Rickman, VP, Services Sales and Account Management, Support.com, and Patrice Samuels, Research Analyst, Parks Associates, examines ways in which customer expectations are changing. Currently 45% of U.S. broadband households resolve technical problems on their own, and 65% prefer this method, indicating that brands need to offer support solutions that empower their customers. Only 37% of consumers are very satisfied with the effort required to connect with the right support agent for assistance with a problem.

"Positive experiences promote brand success, and that starts from the moment the device is plugged in or service is activated," said Patrice Samuels, Research Analyst, Parks Associates. "Among consumers who do not experience setup problems with a product, over 50% are likely to buy that device again, compared to only one-third who experience at least one problem at the outset. To promote customer loyalty, brands must implement support strategies that manage customer experiences throughout the onboarding process."

"We are seeing again and again that the role of customer support is changing," said Emily Rickman, VP, Services Sales and Account Management, Support.com. "It is not just about break-fix or troubleshooting anymore. Instead, customer support is now covering the whole customer journey, having a key impact on the end-to-end customer experience that is crucial for brand value in today's environment."

Samuels and Rickman will discuss the evolution of support strategies and ways companies can leverage direct interaction with their brand, through support, to drive brand loyalty among consumers. They will also examine how the IoT can create brand advocates by anticipating and aligning with consumers' evolving expectations in order to develop stronger emotional connections.

Samuels will present the top five trends for tech support, which includes the following areas:

Proactive

Effortless

Secure

Personalized

Holistic

Support.com, based in California, is a leading provider of cloud-based software and services to deliver next-generation technical support. The company helps leading brands in software, electronics, communications, retail, IoT, and other connected technology industries deepen their customer relationships.

Parks Associates is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small start-ups through market reports, primary studies, consumer research, custom research, workshops, executive conferences, and annual service subscriptions.

The company's expertise includes digital media and platforms, entertainment and gaming, home networks, Internet and television services, digital health, mobile applications and services, support services, consumer apps, advanced advertising, consumer electronics, energy management, and home control systems and security.